R&A say it’s Ireland for Rory
TWO-TIME major winner Rory McIlroy should be allowed to represent Ireland at the 2016 Olympics and not have to make his own mind up about who he plays for, says Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A).
Dawson, who played a key role in golf regaining its place at the Olympics when it was voted back in four years ago, said it was unfair to place the pressure on the 23-year-old Northern Ireland-born golfer to make up his mind.
McIlroy could play for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympics – where golf last featured in 1904 – as being from Northern Ireland he is also eligible for the British team.
While Northern Ireland no longer suffers from deadly sectarian attacks, religious tensions still run high and, were McIlroy to choose to represent Ireland, he could face a backlash from the Loyalist community, who are predominantly Protestant.
However, opting for Great Britain would see him become the possible target of abuse from Republicans, who are predominantly Roman Catholic.
McIlroy told the BBC in January he might even skip the Games so as not to cause offence on either side of the sectarian divide.
“Play for one side or the other – or not play at all because I may upset too many people. Those are my three options I’m considering very carefully,” he said.
Dawson, though, speaking yesterday to a select group of journalists, said he hoped the decision would be taken out of McIlroy’s hands.
“Because of Rory’s history of playing for Ireland at ama- teur level and at World Cup level there may be a regulation within the Olympic rules which would determine who he would have to play for.
“We are still looking at the matter but under that regulation he could play under Irish colours.
“It’s quite ambiguous as there are regulations within the IOC (International Olympic Committee) that if you play previous world championships for a certain country that has to carry with you.
“So the question is, is the World Cup of Golf a world championship and so on. Golf isn’t structured in the same way as it is with other sports.
“But I would very much like to take this burden of choice away from the player, if possible, because it’s not fair.
“I think Rory has made it pretty clear, and what I have heard privately he is worried about it and the last thing we want is a player worrying about it.”
TIGER Woods is sticking to his long break after the Masters, meaning he will miss the Wells Fargo Championship next week.
Asked about Woods not playing Quail Hollow this year, agent Mark Steinberg replied in an e-mail: “Accurate.”
Woods typically takes three weeks off after the year’s first major. Because of a change in scheduling this year, the Wells Fargo Championship is only two weeks after the Masters.
Woods won at Quail Hollow in 2007. He has missed the cut the last twice he played, in 2010 and 2012. He missed the tournament in 2011 trying to recover from leg injuries. Before the two missed cuts, his worst finish was a tie for 11th.
The Wells Fargo Championship still has a strong field, featuring McIlroy and Phil Mickelson. – Sapa-AP